Swift guilty verdict in murder trial

Stockton man's fate sealed by jury in only 10 minutes

STOCKTON - It took less than 15 minutes for a jury to find Rajesh Kumar guilty of first-degree murder and torture of his neighbor Valida Raynette Irvin on Friday, ending a three-week trial and potentially sending the Stockton man to a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.

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By Keith Reid

recordnet.com

By Keith Reid

Posted Jul. 20, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By Keith Reid

Posted Jul. 20, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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STOCKTON - It took less than 15 minutes for a jury to find Rajesh Kumar guilty of first-degree murder and torture of his neighbor Valida Raynette Irvin on Friday, ending a three-week trial and potentially sending the Stockton man to a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.

Kumar, 42, brutally beat, stabbed and dumped Irvin's nude body on May 1, 2011, Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa said. The jury believed Testa's account, rejecting arguments by defense attorney Jeffrey Hirshfield that Kumar himself was a victim of another man named Michael.

Hirschfield argued that Michael entered Kumar's Rosemary Lane apartment, assaulted and killed Irvin and forced him to dump her body. Jurors said they did not believe Irvin's death was quick. They believed she was tortured by Kumar through evidence that included photographs of Irvin's injuries and DNA evidence.

"There was not one thing (the defense) said that could be defended by evidence," juror Chris Altieri said.

Irvin's family cried as the courtroom clerk read the verdict. The family refused comment after the trial.

The entire 12-member jury stood and spoke with Testa and police investigators on the second floor of the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse in Stockton for 45 minutes after their decision was read. They vented about the case, each one supremely confident that the conviction - although swift - was both strong and just.

Testa caught Kumar and his defense attorney in "lie after lie" the jury agreed. When Testa asked the jury if they would have convicted Kumar even if the District Attorney's Office had sought steeper punishments - including the death penalty - their resounding answer was "yes."

"We decided in 10 minutes that he was guilty of first-degree murder," Altieri said. "The only reason we weren't out sooner is that we wanted to know what more we could add. We were venting that he deserved more."

Irvin, 46, was a shoe sales associate at Dillard's Department Store in Stockton. Her family members testified that she sought conversation with Kumar because they had both endured the loss of a loved one in the days before the slaying. Kumar's motive in Irvin's slaying was not clearly defined, but jurors said they believe it involved an attempted rape.

As the defense argued that another man committed the crime, Testa submitted DNA evidence that linked Kumar to Irvin's death. Surveillance footage also showed Kumar at the cinder block trash bin.

"The circumstantial evidence was so compelling, it was obvious to us," juror Jerry Kinney said.

Kumar is scheduled to appear back in court for a sentencing hearing Aug. 26.